Contrary
by Andraste
Summary: The many contrary virtues of Scorpius.


Rating: PG-13, I suppose. The drabbles herein cover gen, het and slash, but none of them are explicit. If any discussion of Scorpius's sex life squicks you horribly, though, I'd bail now.  
  
Continuity: This requires knowledge through to episode 4.15 ('Mental As Anything') to make the maximum amount of sense, although it only spoils through to 4.5 ('Promises').  
  
Author's Note: Apparently, some time, somewhere, Nestra issued a seven sins/seven virtues drabble challenge. I discovered the idea via a great Harry Potter fic by victoria p. I have no idea if this actually fulfils the challenge or if everyone was invited to play but ... the story demanded to be written. The section titles are the seven contrary virtues, those which counteract the seven deadly sins.  
  
Dedication: This is for Faile, who wanted a Farscape story and Alara Rogers who said 'write Scorpius' and left me to my own devices.  
  
Contrary  
  
By Andraste  
  
1. Abstinence  
  
The boy wants the water more than almost anything. He has learned that thirst is much, much worse than pain. Pain can be ignored, but thirst is a constant screaming within his useless body.  
  
Today's test is to sit alone and look at the water, and not drink it. He watches as it evaporates slowly in the heat. He hopes that Tauza will return and give him something to drink when it is all gone.  
  
He wants the water, but not as much he wants to be strong.  
  
If he breaks, he will find out what is worse than thirst.  
  
2. Diligence  
  
"It's nothing to get excited about. Don't tell me you've never seen a wormhole before."  
  
She licks the back of his neck, and he fights the temptation to turn and snarl at her. That would mean looking away from the thousand unknown colours of the swirling gap in space. Why is it that those who have lived all their lives in the vast universe fail to recognise its miracles?  
  
"I want to know everything about it."  
  
"You want to know everything about everything."  
  
Natira's tendency to make the truth sound like a joke irritates him, but he kisses her back anyway.  
  
3. Patience  
  
On the first day, he tries to find a pattern in the way the room shifts from boiling to freezing. He concludes that there isn't one.  
  
On the second, he throws himself against the walls and tears at the ceiling.  
  
On the third, he lies on the floor, panting or shivering. Eventually Katoya comes and peers down at him through the grating.  
  
"Do you accept your weakness now?"  
  
Scorpius nods.  
  
"Good," he says. "Perhaps I will let you out tomorrow."  
  
It takes all his restraint to nod again instead of growling, but he manages. He will learn what he must.  
  
4. Liberality  
  
The security officer he sent to M'Lee did not like aliens. But then, that was the point.  
  
It was not his preferred approach to dissent, but ... a regrettable necessity. Some Peacekeepers had the doctrine of irreversible contamination drilled into them so deeply that they would sooner follow an incompetent fool like Crais than accept a hybrid.  
  
Scorpius deplores commanders who waste troops, and finds that rewards create better control than fear and punishment. Yet he could not tolerate a potential mutiny.  
  
Things are quieter since the ringleader disappeared. He takes consolation in knowing that the girl did not go hungry.  
  
5. Chastity  
  
The lieutenant runs his hands over the leather with more curiosity than intent, and Scorpius soon deduces what he is afraid to ask.  
  
"I would advise you not to consider opening the suit," he says mildly.  
  
Looking more curious still, Braca seems to require a more detailed explanation. Scorpius wouldn't have him any other way.  
  
"How much do you know about Scarran anatomy, Lieutenant?"  
  
He blinks, then winces. "You have ... *barbs*?"  
  
"Precisely."  
  
By certain technical definitions, Scorpius is a virgin. But with Braca willingly on his knees before him, he believes that what he can have is more than enough.  
  
6. Humility  
  
There is a small part of Scorpius that is still able to find amusement in the knowledge that, should Grayza continue to make him lick her boots on a regular basis, the leather will dissolve. He is intimately familiar with the side-effects of having Scarran salivary glands crammed into a Sebacean mouth.  
  
The rest of him is seething with wounded pride. He thought that his days of debasing himself for the entertainment of others were gone.  
  
But he must make her believe that she has defeated him.  
  
Scorpius will wear the leash gladly, if it brings the chance he needs.  
  
7. Kindness  
  
"I know how strange this is, but you're too sick to run away. I shall not harm you."  
  
He has to help her back to bed. The anger that sustained her weakened limbs this long seemed fuelled by frustration more than anything - her body has turned traitor, and that is never easy.  
  
Scorpius holds a cup of water up to her mouth, but she takes it in her shaking hands with determination. "Why are you helping me?"  
  
"Everybody requires assistance sometimes. Even you and I."  
  
Aeryn soon drifts into unconsciousness again. He will still be there when she wakes up.  
  
The End 


End file.
